November 7, 2018: Day 88 – Lamentations 3

You may be wondering from where the words to this hymn come. Who would have guessed it came from Lamentations 3? Sure enough if you look at vs.22-24 you can see the lines from the hymn right there. I’m not sure if the last time that you sang that hymn you were thinking of the context in which it took place. Jeremiah is bemoaning the fall of Jerusalem, and yet somehow he is able to speak about the faithfulness of God. He is able to speak about the newness every morning of the presence of God and so as a result: “I will hope in him.” Even in the face of unspeakable tragedy he is able to say: “The Lord is my portion.” We can’t forget from where these words find their origin. It is in the midst of the unfathomable suffering that the prophet is able to write these words. Wow, just wow.